Connection device



Jan 8 1963 G. o. LANDWHR CONNECTION DEVICE Filed May 5, 1961 lW//A/f United States arent 3,072,877 CONNECTION DEVICE Georg O. Landwehr, 3712B Cooper Ave. SE., Huntsville, Ala. Filed May 5, 1961, Ser. No. 108,205 1 Claim. (Cl. 339-108) (Granted under Title 35, U.S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention -described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the' payment of any royalty thereon.

My invention relates to a device for connection of the lead of a testing instrument to a wire and more particularly to such a device disposed for removable connection therebetween.

Test instruments are usually provided with a pair of leads for engagement with wires of circuits to be measured, -to electrically connect the instruments to the circuits. The instruments usually are disposed for adjustment lto conform to a range of values of a circuit to be measured and the leads are provided with devices for attachment to the Wires to permit the operator freedom to perform such adjustment.

An object of my invention is to provide means for hooking a test lead to a wire conductor.

A further object is to provide such means disposed for ready engagement and disengagement of the test hook and the conductor.

`Other and more specific objects will appear in the4 following detailed description, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Apparatus of thc present invention comprises a connection device for connecting a test lead and a wire, the lead is provided with a banana plug having a projectin-g conductor and the connection device includes a handle which is provided with a housing and an insulator in slidable relation therewith.

A spring is disposed to bias the housing from the insulation and a conducting memlber secured in the insulator for contact with the lead is provided with a bent portion to secure the housing to .the insulator. The housing is slidable on the insulator to compress the spring and project the hook from the housing for engagement of the wire.

The housing is further provided with a surface for cooperation with the hook to secure the wire therebetween responsive to release of the compression and a bifurcated portion is provided in the housing for normal enclosure of the hook.

FIGURE 1 is a sectional View of the connector with the conducting member disposed for engagement with the wire.

FIGURE 2 is a view of the connector similar -to FIGURE 1, showing the wire retained between the conducting member and -the housing.

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the connector shown in FIGURE 2.

As illustrated in FIGURES l, 2, and 3, the apparatus of the present invention comprises a cylindrical connection device 50 of suitable size to be readily gripped and held between the thumb and 4lingers of the operators hand. In this form connection device 50 is provided for engagement with an electric wire 52 to complete contact with a test lead having a banana plug 54 with a con- 3,072,877 Patented Jan. 8, 1963 ductor 56. Connector 50 is provided with a handle 57 including a housing 58 and an insulator 60 respectively provided with outer and inner sleeve portions 59 and 61 for slidable relation therebetween. Housing 58 is provided with a chamber 62 and bifurcated at 63 to receive hook 84. Insulator 60 is provided with a chamber 64, both chambers having walls 68 and 70 respectively and a conducting tube 72 is `secured in chamber 64 and extends therefrom in slidable relation with the inner wall 68 of housing 58. A conducting plug member 74 is lixedly mounted in tube 72 and bored at 76 to receive member 78. Member 78 includes a head 79 and a bent portion 82, adjacent an axial portion 80 to secure housing 58 to plug 74. Housing 58 is biased from insulator 60 by a spring 86. Member 78 includes a hook 84 with a leg disposed atan acute angle with a portion 90 of the hook parallel to portion 80 of member 78.

Circumferential ribs 88 are provided on housing 58 for linger grips and insulator 60 is slidably operated into housing 58 for compression of spring 86 and projection from housing 58 of hook 84 to engage wire 52. Upon release of the compression, wire 58 is secured against a conical surface 91 :of housing 58.

I claim:

A device for connection between a test lead including a connector with an electrical terminal projecting therefrom and an electrical wire, said device comprising: a nonconductive housing provided with a chamber at one end thereof and a bifurcated second end portion; an insulated handle in telescoping relationship with said one end, said handle comprising a conducting tube having one end slidably received in said one end of said housing, and the other end of said tube extending outwardly thereof and having an insulator disposed thereabout, said tube and said insulator being open to receive said electical terminal; a conductive plug disposed within the chamber 'of said housing and in electrical connection with said conductive tube; a conductive member having a first end in electrical connection with said conductive plug and being provided with a hook on a second end which is disposed within said bifurcated end of said housing; a spring disposed within the chamber of said housing for biasing said conductive member to a tlrst position in said bifurcated end of said housing, whereby when the housing and the handle are moved together the spring will be compressed between .the conductive plug and one end of the chamber within said housing causing the hooked end of said conductive member to extend to a second position out from said biurcated end of said housing; said hook having a leg at the end thereof extending laterally from said bifurcated end for engagement with said wire and retention thereof when said conductive member is biased to said lirst position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,008,018 Cunningham Nov. 7, 1911 1,255,824 Shoenberg et al Feb. 5. 1918 1,651,019 Emery Nov. 29, 1927 2,438,350 Reichard Mar. 23, 1948 2,516,657 Spendlove July 25, 1950 2,714,196 Melehan July 26, 1955 2,733,418 Kimble Jan. 31, 1956 

